Film restorer John Lowry dies

John D. Lowry, a professional in film restoration who had been set to get an Academy Plaque for his innovative Lowry Process at February. 11's Scientific and Technical Honours, died Jan. 21. He was 79. With several co-workers, Lowry developed what AMPAS referred to like a "unique and efficient system for that decrease in noise along with other items, therefore supplying high-quality images needed through the filmmaking process." Lowry's company enhanced the look quality on a large number of films, including recent photos for example "Avatar" and "The Curious Situation of Benjamin Button" and classics for example "Gone Using the Wind," "Citizen Kane," "Sunset Boulevard," "Singin' while it is raining,Inch "Roman Holiday" and "Dr. Zhivago." Lowry founded his company in 1988 as Lowry Digital Images. It later grew to become DTS Digital Images underneath the possession of DTS from 2005-08 however the Burbank-based firm eventually grew to become a part of India's Reliance Large Entertainment Group. Reliance MediaWorks Boss Anil Arjun stated, "We're deeply saddened through the passing of John Lowry. He would be a visionary who introduced unparalleled technological and imaging developments towards the film industry. His work has been utilized to revive probably the most exclusive classic films from the century and respected for that standards and excellence the various tools represented." Additionally to the work rebuilding in the past significant films, Lowry Digital is becoming progressively expert in focus on three dimensional films. Jon Landau, co-producer of "Avatar," which won an Oscar for visual effects, stated: "Lowry Digital's innovative digital image processing assisted us produce the wholly immersive world that (director and co-producer James Cameron) imagined. We introduced Lowry directly into cleanup and enhance live-action moments where necessary, permitting us to provide three dimensional images with unparalleled quality." Lowry seemed to be active in the change in Cameron's "Titanic" to three dimensional. Born in Toronto, Lowry began within the entertainment industry like a stagehand in the CBC in 1952. In 1971 he acquired recognition in the market for his calculations utilized in the restoration from the NASA Apollo missions 16 and 17 films. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Protests staged at NY senators' offices

hundreds of protesters switched out Wednesday outdoors the surface of the East Side offices to NY Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to protest the questionable antipiracy legislation now wending through Congress. Nevertheless the event was far within the raucous crowds that collected a few several days ago for your Occupy Wall Street demos. A sense of calm won, with protesters mostly remaining from chanting too noisally, together with a few police herding compliant audiences into well-maintained protest zones. Third Avenue was blocked off between 48th and 49th streets allowing the protest. The speeches, however, were rousing: "The Stop Online Piracy Act will not do much to avoid online piracy!" mentioned NYU teacher and "Cognitive Surplus" author Clay Shirky, who recommended the title in the legislation be changed for the First Amendment Sunset Act. "You can't just shut people up if you don't like what they're saying!" he told the entertaining aud. Hollywood needed its mounds within the rally, organized with the networking org NY Tech Meetup. "When Hollywood insurance supporters appear with $94 million simply because they did a year ago, both Dems and Republicans lineup,In . mentioned Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. MoveOn.org's Eli Pariser being more adamant: "You've groups like MoveOn completely to groups like (conservative coalition) Red-colored-colored Condition who think this is often a bad idea," he mentioned. "Really the only people who think this is a great idea will be the failing old legacy media who want to go back to VHS tapes and Dvds and congresspeople." Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Publishers rethink comics for tablets

DC Comics Geoff Johns says digital comics are ideal for giving readers extra content. The Aquaman comic was designed with tablet display in mind. When readers opened "Aquaman #1," last fall, they saw sinister bioluminescent creatures ascending the black waters of the Atlantic. Swirling upward in six vertical panels across two pages, the layout was a coup for DC Comics chief creative officer Geoff Johns after the publisher pledged to release each new issue in its 52-book reboot day and date in print and on digital platforms such as tablets.The increased usage of tablet computers is forcing comicbook publishers and scribes like Johns ("Green Lantern," "The Flash," "Superman") to consider new ways of designing their books.Tasked with writing stories that would play in print and pixels, Johns had to re-evaluate the medium since readers of digital comicbooks are ignorant of page breaks, focusing on stories panel by panel instead."Every panel becomes a page, which I find really fascinating," Johns said. "Right when I saw that, I thought about how that could change the way you look at comics."Although the impact of a double-page spread diminishes and folded pullouts disappear completely in digital, Johns said digital readers spend more time on individual panels, slowing down and taking in details before moving on. He compares the experience to reading Japanese manga, which paces slower with only a few panels per page."It's weird to go back and look at some of the old comics now," Johns said. "If you read something in this fashion you will notice stuff that you skipped over so quickly because your eye takes in the whole page instead of the panel individually. I think that's probably one of the biggest advantages of digital."Without pages to structure the narrative, big character and action reveals don't need to hide after a page turn to prevent wandering eyes from skipping ahead. Now every panel has to keep readers wanting more.A few pages after Johns introduces his slimy ocean villains, Aquaman defeats a band of armed crooks attempting to rob a big city bank. Now on land, the action unravels in successive horizontal panels to exploit the iPad's ability to spin from portrait to landscape modes and punctuate the stories' transition from water to land."It's just a subtlesubconscious change -- it feels different," Johns said. "It's like when Hitchcock used to shoot those angles, kind of canted angles in his films. It would be a normal room but because an angle was turned, it would feel a little bit off. I think there are certain things we can play around with."Animation would seem a likely addition to the digital format, allowing characters to move freely and transition between panels. But previous attempts at motion comics, which pile on animated elements while attempting to keep the medium's storyboard format, have a decidedly underwhelming, choppy feel.Johns, who co-produced Warner Bros. "Green Lantern" film, also is wary of sound effects and voiceover. In the same way, the film adaptation of a popular novel can never live up to the scenes and characters readers envision, sound effects can rob fans of their mental score and create an unwanted distraction, he said.The scribe has even begun scaling back internal dialogue so the text won't bite into DC's brawny, saturated art. Digitally, the illustrations glow with a hypnotic brilliance."I would rather let the art and characters expressions speak for themselves, let the reader experience it as more of a subtle experience rather than slamming you over the head with their inner thoughts," Johns said.There are more changes on the comic horizon. Johns predicts the digital format will soon give readers interactive access to character bios and links to past stories, while a digital edition of the author's "Flashpoint" comicbook lets readers break down the page piece by piece, removing color to reveal the original black-and-white penciling. All five issues of "Flashpoint" include such a "Digital Deluxe" version."The mythology of DC's comics is so deep you could layer on a whole other experience on top of it," Johns said.Some of DC's new digital books have zoomed in on certain panels or pulled back in dramatic modes to enhance the imagery in a filmic way. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Universal outlines 100th anni plans

Marking its 100th anniversary this year, Universal Pictures has formally organized plans for just about any yearlong celebration, like the restoration of 13 films as well as the unveiling in the studio's new logo design design. The studio which is home theatre division will introduce a small-edition 100th-anni collector's quantity of Digital video disks and Blu-ray dvd disks, and Universal Parks and Resorts will host several occasions devoted for the centennial. Universal prexy-chief operating officer Ron Meyer told Variety the sum total of anni activities has presented the most effective ambitions in the studio's teams. "I didn't start with the organization, but I'm sure it's my family, and i'm glad I possibly could look at this celebration meet up,Inch Meyer mentioned. "Many people labored so desperately relating to this too. I'm speaking about people would perform a full day-job after which it put work into planning this, therefore i think a sizable factor relating to this celebration is adoring people people who tried it too.Inch The 13 films that have been the subject from the restoration jobs are "All Quiet round the Western Front," "The Wild wild birds," "Buck Privates," "Dracula" (1931), "Dracula" (within the the spanish language language, 1931), "Frankenstein," "Jaws," "Schindler's List," "From Africa," "Pillow Talk," "Bride of Frankenstein" "The Sting" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." Lately, the studio completed an trip for your press of techniques the restoration process have been handled and referred to the 13 films were selected for restoration because of their significance for the movie community, how large the film, the pedigree in the filmmaker or simply how much the film needed restoration. Meyer mentioned upkeep jobs are crucial that you all the art galleries which U's restoration concentrate on the 13 photos made sense incorporated within the anniversary year. "I have four kids of my own, personal which i do not believe them were alive when a number of these films showed up in this area which i'd like these to be capable of enjoy films like "Schindler's List" and "From Africa" inside their full figure," he mentioned. For that studio's new logo design design, it'll be attached first for the trailer of "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," which has its premiere in February and bows in theaters March 2. Because the logo design design experienced several iterations over time, Meyer mentioned this latest edition will have a very different look. It will be based on audio. The studio's centennial happens the heels of just one of the best years. Universal joined the billion-dollar mark within the domestic B.O. this season due to such films as "Fast Five," "Hop" and "Bridesmaids." The season also saw Meyer, chairman Adam Fogelson and co-chair Donna Langley receive extensions inside their current positions. For 2012, the studio has tentpoles "Battleship," "Snow White-colored as well as the Huntsman" and "The Bourne Legacy" on its slate. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Mike Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman Introduced as Golden Globe Presenters

Natalie Portman, Mike Gyllenhaal Mike Gyllenhaal, Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman are the first presenters introduced Monday with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for your approaching Golden Globe Honours. The company in addition states Antonio Banderas, Clive Owen, Melissa McCarthy, Salma Hayek and Frieda Pinto will join the trio as presenters on Sunday. Ough Gervais on hosting the Globes: "I really get it done my way" "This is often a exclusive quantity of charming stars that suits perfectly with this particular status as Hollywood's party of year,In . Craig Adelman, executive producer in the Globes, mentioned in the statement. Situated by Ough Gervais, the 69th annual Golden Globe Honours will probably be broadcast live Sunday at 8/7c on NBC.

Joe Manganiello On 'Magic Mike': Draining Bonds Are Forever

If you produce a male stripper movie that gathers Hollywood's hunkiest (Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez), it will get plenty of...interest. When the conversation switched to Steven Soderbergh's 'Magic Mike,' through the L.A. premiere in the director's 'Haywire,' nobody made an appearance inside your ideas. Vulture spoken with 'True Blood' star Joe Manganiello, who passes Large Dick Richie inside the flick (sometimes these products just produces itself) about -- what else -- getting rid of it. "I wouldn't call myself a specialist dancer," Manganiello mentioned, "However will condition that whenever i came back to my trailer and shook my clothes off, there has been someone-dollar bills that fell out." And to date as the most effective stripper? "Oh, Channing, unquestionably. He's like on another level. Clearly, she's more experience," Manganiello mentioned, mentioning that 'Magic Mike' will depend on Tatum's pre-fame encounters just like a dancer. Runner-up he mentioned is 'In Time' actor Matt Bomer, a skill Manganiello credited to his musical theater background. While 'Magic Mike' has wrapped shooting, the draining movie has inspired a distinctive bond among the hubba hubba cast. "Usually when you're finished with projects, you promise to stay in contact with everyone, and you also don't. On that certain, everybody has, which all of us spend some time, which all of us consult with each other within a couple of days. Therefore we have glued." You know what happens meaning: follow-up! 'Magic Mike' hits theaters June 29, 2012. [via Vulture] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Mega Buzz: One Tree Hill's Goodbye, a brand new Five- Villain and Housewives' Murder

Bethany Pleasure Galeotti, Alex OLoughlin, Ricardo Chavira Each week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams suit your requirement for TV scoop. Please send all questionsto mega_scoop@tvguide.com. Are some of my beloved figures likely to die within the final season of 1 Tree Hill? - DanicaADAM: I'd say it is a distinct possibility (but look carefully, that isn't an appearance Haley is searching at within this promo). Take advantage of Buckley's ideas around the matter also appear pretty harsh. "The Main One Tree Hill family as you may know it will change by season's finish," he teases. "The folks starting the growing season with [are] different group we finish it with." Let us start 2012 with a few Hawaii Five- spoilers? - James ADAM: How can you say "Book Them, Danno!" in Russian? McGarrett may discover once the team looks into a rape and murder in a $5,000-a-plate fundraising event and also the prime suspect seeks asylum in the Russian embassy. Seems like glastnost is going to be of no assistance to McGarrett, who will need to perform a little sweet-speaking to find the titled Consul General to give the scumbag comrade. Not too I am likely to miss him, but who freshly mowed lower Chuck on Desperate Average women? - Rebecca NATALIE: It appears very convenient that Carlos checked themself from rehab exactly the same evening that Chuck grew to become roadkill, no? But maybe too convenient. Rather, request yourself who sent that ominous letter to Bree, and you will then realize who the vehicular manslaughterer is. I can not wait for a Vampire Journals to come back! What else could you spoil? - Louise NATALIE: When Klaus decides to consider residence in Mystic Falls, Elena will become familiar with hard way simply how much danger she's putting her brother in. "There needs to be considered a large change," executive producer Julie Plec informs us. "What that's, and what she does, is area of the first episode back." Let us just say we may avoid seeing Jeremy for some time. Anything good approaching on NCIS? - Katie ADAM: The show is searching for an actress to experience a fast-witted investigative journalist who, while charming at first glance, is not afraid to obtain scrappy to be able to obtain the story. When she bulldozes her distance to the NCIS team's analysis, however, she will get a lot more than she bargained for - namely, a reunion with someone from her past that raises a ton of old emotion. Seriously, whose heart has not DiNozzo damaged? Got any scoop on New Girl? - Blaine NATALIE: Tired of taking care of his roommates, Schmidt decides to hightail it and join several dirty, drum circle-playing hippies, where he fits in... until they learn he knows all of the words to "Moves Like Jagger" and pleasures themself for an Bothersome Truth. Climatic change is hot! What else could you let me know concerning the new female figures around the Finder? - Brent ADAM: Mercedes Masohn plays Deputy U.S. Marshal Isabel Zambada, among Walter's buddies with benefits. (No will-they-or-will not-they here - they'll, um, do: Isabel sleeps in the very first episode!) Maddie Hasson's 16-year-old criminal Willa, meanwhile, is presently working at Walter's bar like a term of her probation. Although her cons may prove useful in fixing the instances, she can't appear to help keep her eyes off Walter's secret subterranean vault... (That isn't a euphemism.) Are you able to provide us with an indication regarding when Steve returns on Shameless? Thanks. - @Fiona_Steve, via Twitter NATALIE: Although he's pointed out frequently, he will not really appear before the finish of Episode 3, when Fiona stops working and provides him a phone call. Although he appears glad to listen to from Fiona, he's clearly got another thing on his mind (and another person on his body). What is the scoop on Suburgatory? - Justine NATALIE: When George decides to become listed on the nation club, he asks Noah to become his sponsor. Noah is unwilling to help his friend, though, resulting in an exciting-out brawl within the steam room that's less Eastern Promises and much more Borat. I am dying for many Justified scoop! Are Raylan and Winona likely to stay together? - Tammy ADAM: It sure appears like it. But which side they live? Since the pair includes a little gunslinger in route, the motel room they presently call home is not exactly family-friendly - especially once it might be a criminal offense scene within the season premiere. How lengthy does it require Hank to determine it was Divya who recommended Eric Kassabian (Wilmer Valderrama) the incorrect medication on Royal Pains? - James NATALIE: Her conscience will push her in the future clean with Hank fairly rapidly following the incident, and not only will it impact her relationship with him, but she'll lose her job at Hamptons Heritage. Hank is going to be fairly calm concerning the whole factor, try not to expect things to return to normal in the near future. Your Rizzoli & Isles postmortem states "we might enter intoInch how Jane and Maura met. Does which means that a flashback episode? - Jacob ADAM: Affirmative! Search for one out of early Season 3. "I've always considered the thought of carrying out a scene about how exactly they met and i believe I have develop a stylish method of doing it," executive producer Jesse Tamaro informs us. "I believe because they try to look for their way [to being buddies again] it will likely be interesting to determine the way they first grew to become buddies." Adam's Mega Rave: Will Justified have as great a villain as Magazines Bennett? Doubtful. But I am pleased to are convinced that the oily Neal McDonough and menacing Mykelti Williamson are extremely promising casting options this year. Natalie's Small Rant: Note to ABC: Slapping a skirt plus some poorly applied rouge on your patented guy comedies doesn't make Arrange It a feminist statement... or funny. Crave scoop in your favorite Television shows?At the-mail Adam and Natalie at mega_scoop@tvguide.comor drop us a line atTwitter.com/TVGuide (Additional confirming by Joyce Eng, Robyn Ross and Kate Stanhope)

'Dark Shadows,' 'Dark Dark night Rises': Previewing The MTV Movie Brawl 2012 Rivals

The MTV Movie Brawl 2012 is formally going ahead! Before you election for that movie you are anticipating most in next season, why don't you acquaint yourself with all the gamers? Within the next couple of days, we'll be highlighting the 32 movies presently competing within the Brawl, eight movies daily. Present day start looking includes a vacation to Gotham City, a voyage aboard a battleship along with a vampire tale which has nothing related to "Twilight." "21 Jump Street" Would you buy Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as senior high school teens? We do not either, but we can not wait to determine them attempt to accomplish it. Hill and Tatum's resurrection from the 1980s teen cop drama like a hard R-ranked action comedy appears as an odd move, but that first trailer has us greater than a tiny bit wanting to begin to see the laughs they've available for all of us. -Josh Wigler "The Astonishing Spider-Guy" It's only been 5 years because the last film of Mike Raimi's undertake your friendly neighborhood Spider-Guy, but we are obtaining a new cast, director and origin story anyway. Now it's Andrew Garfield's use pull around the red-colored-and-blues, but this time around he's competing for that affection of the blonde, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, and fighting the Lizard. -Kevin P. Sullivan "American Reunion" Years have passed, babies happen to be had, and Tara Reid remains a loony as always: everything and absolutely nothing has transformed for the children of East Great Falls because they gather for his or her senior high school reunion. Ten years following the last watchable flick within the franchise hit theaters, the united states of the is finally prepared to munch on more "Cake." Jim, don't allow us lower. -Eric Ditzian "Battleship" Hot men, a significant pop star and naval warfare! My dear! Battleship virtually has something for everybody, including a little childhood nostalgia. The board-game-to-large-screen adaptation is placed to blast its distance to theaters come May there hasnt been a film since Clue that weve been more excited to determine children the board towards the Cineplex. -Jocelyn Vena Election in MTV's Movie Brawl 2012! "The Bourne Legacy" Jeremy Renner accumulates the amnesiac-super-spy reins where Matt Damon left off within this growth of the experience series. Expect some familiar faces along with a similar story but with a brand new leading guy trying to puzzle out who he's. -KPS "The Dark Dark night Increases" Maybe you've heard about that one. It comes down to a man who dresses up just like a softball bat and fights crime or something like that. Easily among the greatest releases of the or any year, "The Dark Dark night Increases" will finish Christopher Nolan's story from the Batman inside a hopefully epic fashion. -KPS "Dark Shadows" Honestly, were virtually offered on any movie that re-teams The Actor-brad Pitt and director Tim Burton, regardless of subject. The truth that their next project, 2012s Dark Shadows is really a movie version of the cheesy seventies vampire cleaning soap opera, featuring the all-star cast including Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Michelle Pfieffer, Avoi Eco-friendly, Jackie Earle Hayley, Chloe Sophistication Moretz and Jonny Lee Burns, well, it ought to be easy to understand why weve been psyched relating to this film because it was introduced. -Kara Warner "The Dictator" If Sacha Baron Cohen's real-existence, in-character, pitch-perfect statement around the dying of Kim Jong Il "He accomplished it much to spread empathy, knowledge and uranium around the worldInch is any suggestion, SBC has another motion picture champion on his hands. This time around around, the comedian slips in to the authoritarian boots of the general in the imaginary Republic of Wadiya, a man who likes jamming to Jay-Z, sleeping with Megan Fox, and shooting anybody who will get in the way. What a method to start the summer time movie season. -Erectile dysfunction MTV Movie Brawl 2012 Has Started! Return tomorrow for additional of MTV's Movie Brawl 2012 rivals! Exactly what do you think about the MTV Movie Brawl? Inform us within the comments as well as on Twitter, and click on here to election!